Dayan Admits Receiving Drug Money From Kerwin for De Lima

Ronnie Dayan, former security aide of Sen. Leila de Lima, on Tuesday admitted receiving drug money from suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa back in 2014.

In a press conference at the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening, Dayan said he accepted drug money from Espinosa five times, without specifying the amount, for De Lima.

Dayan, however, denied meeting any of the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) inmates-turned-witnesses, who testified that he was the alleged bagman of De Lima when she was still Justice secretary.

“Yung pagkakadawit sa akin sa drugs, gawa-gawa lang nila yun… Wala po akong tinatanggap na drug money sa drug lords [at the New Bilibid Prison] (My alleged links to illegal drugs are just made-up… I did not receive any drug money from the drug lords (at the New Bilibid Prison)),” Dayan said.

Dayan said he will divulge other details before the House Justice committee’s hearing on the NBP drug proliferation set to reopen on Thursday.

House Justice committee chair Rep. Reynaldo Umali said the granting of immunity for Dayan will depend on his testimonies and will still be subject to approval by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Dayan, for his part, vowed to tell the truth before the House panel despite his sickly condition.

The House of Representatives took Dayan into custody before 8 p.m. Tuesday after he was arrested for contempt.

Dayan was brought to the Lower Chamber, which issued the arrest warrant against him for contempt for failing to appear before the congressional inquiry into the proliferation of drugs at the national penitentiary.

House Sergeant-at-Arms, Gen. Roland Detabali, assured that the detention room of Dayan will be well-secured and has a sufficient number of personnel to attend to his needs. (PNA) SCS/FMC/EDS